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Colorado salinity problem, question: Would tile drains in the Wellton-Mohawk District provide a solution to the international problem?, August 23, 1964

INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION
UNITED STATES AND MEXICO
206 SANFRANCISCO STREET
EL PASO. TEXAS 79950
MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. BOX 1859
August 23, 1964
MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT: Colorado Salinity Problem
Question: Would tile drains in the Wellton-Mohawk District provide a solution to the international problem?
Background
Under instructions dated July 1, 1964, one of the alternatives proposed to Mexico for solution of the salinity problem was tile drainage in the Wellton-Mohawk District, regardless of resulting quality. The Mexican Commissioner advises that his Government would not object to tile drains. Mexico has consistently protested and held that Wellton-Mohawk pumped waters are not Colorado River waters, and are not direct return flows from irrigation; and for these reasons, are not acceptable as treaty waters. Tile drains would remove Mexico's grounds for protest, as nearly as it is practicable to do so. Therefore, it is understood that Mexico would have no legal recourse.
There still remains, however, the question of whether tile drains would in fact resolve the international problem, even though the United States may be protected legally. Furthermore, the Congress before approving an estimated $20 million for tile drains would certainly want to be assured that tile drains, if adopted, would resolve the problem.
The technical conference in Denver, Aug18-20, 1964, between ground water experts of the Geological Survey and Bureau of Reclamation in effort to resolve conflicting views on the probable quality of the effluent from tile drains, resulted in the following statement which both concurred in:
The resulting salinity from tiles would initially be in the range of 4,000 to 5,000 parts per million, which would probably persist for about five years and during the next five years decrease by up to 200 p.p.m. per year, to ultimately reach a value of about 2,300 p.p.m.
2200

INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION
UNITED STATES AND MEXICO
206 SANFRANCISCO STREET
EL PASO. TEXAS 79950
MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. BOX 1859
August 23, 1964
MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT: Colorado Salinity Problem
Question: Would tile drains in the Wellton-Mohawk District provide a solution to the international problem?
Background
Under instructions dated July 1, 1964, one of the alternatives proposed to Mexico for solution of the salinity problem was tile drainage in the Wellton-Mohawk District, regardless of resulting quality. The Mexican Commissioner advises that his Government would not object to tile drains. Mexico has consistently protested and held that Wellton-Mohawk pumped waters are not Colorado River waters, and are not direct return flows from irrigation; and for these reasons, are not acceptable as treaty waters. Tile drains would remove Mexico's grounds for protest, as nearly as it is practicable to do so. Therefore, it is understood that Mexico would have no legal recourse.
There still remains, however, the question of whether tile drains would in fact resolve the international problem, even though the United States may be protected legally. Furthermore, the Congress before approving an estimated $20 million for tile drains would certainly want to be assured that tile drains, if adopted, would resolve the problem.
The technical conference in Denver, Aug18-20, 1964, between ground water experts of the Geological Survey and Bureau of Reclamation in effort to resolve conflicting views on the probable quality of the effluent from tile drains, resulted in the following statement which both concurred in:
The resulting salinity from tiles would initially be in the range of 4,000 to 5,000 parts per million, which would probably persist for about five years and during the next five years decrease by up to 200 p.p.m. per year, to ultimately reach a value of about 2,300 p.p.m.
2200